Quarter horse racing underway

South Marion track hosting 10-day meet

FILE - Riders cross the finish line during opening day of quarter horse racing at Oxford Downs on Monday April 7, 2013. Horses raced a quarter mile.

Alan Youngblood/Ocala Star-Banner

By Carlos E. MedinaCorrespondent

Published: Friday, July 4, 2014 at 6:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, July 3, 2014 at 6:22 p.m.

Oxford Downs has started its state-mandated spate of quarter horse racing in south Marion County, which will continue through Thursday when the venue meets the regulatory minimum to operate a card room and simulcast wagering facility.

The resumption of racing at the track, located off U.S. 301 on Southeast 177th Place near The Villages, renewed objections by some of the state's horse racing associations, at least one of which has filed for an injunction against the track. The track held one day of racing in April, also to meet regulatory requirements. The current 10-day session of races began Tuesday.

"It's preposterous. The state of Florida never ceases to amaze me," said Kent Stirling, president of the Florida Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association.

The association is part of the United Florida Horsemen, which includes the Ocala-based Florida Thoroughbred Breeders' and Owners' Association and the Florida Quarter Horse Racing Association, which call the Oxford operation a front to open a card room.

"It's a phony baloney deal they are pulling off. They set up a dummy horsemen's group made up of family members. It's a travesty," Stirling said.

Despite the objections, the Division of Pari-mutuel Wagering has issued the required licenses and is overseeing the racing to make sure it adheres to state law.

Tony Mendola, one of the owners of the track, said he is surprised by the mean-spirited accusations about his operation, which he said is an honest effort to expand horse racing.

"I guess we're just an easy target. There are a host a problems inside the entire industry that they should be focusing on rather than us. We're going to continue to act like gentlemen and do what we believe is right for the people involved, as well as the animals," Mendola said.

Mendola is the first to admit the facilities are lacking at the track. There is no clubhouse or permanent public restrooms. Concessions are limited to water and soda, and wagers are taken at a small mobile building.

"We didn't do any aggressive advertising because we don't want the public believing this is our end product. We're not going to ever become Churchill Downs, but there is a process to it," Mendola said. "We have no revenue. Everything right now, the purses, the expenses come out of our pocket. After we start our card room and simulcast facility we will be able to have a real purse structure."

The lack of facilities is what sparked the FTBOA to file for an injunction April 30, arguing that the county allowed the facility to open despite not meeting any of the site plans that were initially submitted. A hearing on the matter is scheduled for Sept. 2.

On Thursday, a letter from an attorney representing the FTBOA was sent to the Marion County Board of County Commissioners detailing the lack of facilities and asking them to attend a performance to see for themselves.

Lonny Powell, FTBOA executive vice president and CEO, was not immediately available for comment Thursday.

Mendola called the FTBOA's action frivolous and said the facilities were known to the county, which issued the permits to open.

Construction on the clubhouse will begin in a few weeks, after final permits are issued. The facility is expected to open in December, he said.

The state requires a quarter horse permit holder to run at least 20 performances of racing, with eight races per performance. The track is holding two performances per day to meet the requirement.

Some of the horses are racing twice per day, which is "a frequency which is unheard of in recognized quarter horse racing," according the FTBOA's attorney's letter to the commission.

Mendola said the races are 110-yard dashes and there are state and track veterinarians on the grounds.

"The safety of the jockeys and horses is paramount. We have had no incidents," he said.

Many of the horses that race at the track are owned by people with ties to track officials and employees. The horsemen's group, which represents horse owners and trainers, is a newly formed entity called the Central Florida Horsemen's Association. Mendola filed the articles of incorporation for the group with the state.

Again, Mendola said, without revenue for purses, attracting horses from other tracks is near impossible. The horses at the track are racing quarter horses that have raced at Hialeah and Louisiana Downs.

"We've had some serious inquiries, but right now the purses are not where they can make a commitment to send their horses," he said. "We have some good horse racing and we want to put on good horse racing. We are moving toward that but, like any other track in the country, we can't do it without the revenue of the card room and simulcasting."

<p>Oxford Downs has started its state-mandated spate of quarter horse racing in south Marion County, which will continue through Thursday when the venue meets the regulatory minimum to operate a card room and simulcast wagering facility.</p><p>The resumption of racing at the track, located off U.S. 301 on Southeast 177th Place near The Villages, renewed objections by some of the state's horse racing associations, at least one of which has filed for an injunction against the track. The track held one day of racing in April, also to meet regulatory requirements. The current 10-day session of races began Tuesday.</p><p>"It's preposterous. The state of Florida never ceases to amaze me," said Kent Stirling, president of the Florida Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association.</p><p>The association is part of the United Florida Horsemen, which includes the Ocala-based Florida Thoroughbred Breeders' and Owners' Association and the Florida Quarter Horse Racing Association, which call the Oxford operation a front to open a card room.</p><p>"It's a phony baloney deal they are pulling off. They set up a dummy horsemen's group made up of family members. It's a travesty," Stirling said.</p><p>Despite the objections, the Division of Pari-mutuel Wagering has issued the required licenses and is overseeing the racing to make sure it adheres to state law.</p><p>Tony Mendola, one of the owners of the track, said he is surprised by the mean-spirited accusations about his operation, which he said is an honest effort to expand horse racing.</p><p>"I guess we're just an easy target. There are a host a problems inside the entire industry that they should be focusing on rather than us. We're going to continue to act like gentlemen and do what we believe is right for the people involved, as well as the animals," Mendola said.</p><p>Mendola is the first to admit the facilities are lacking at the track. There is no clubhouse or permanent public restrooms. Concessions are limited to water and soda, and wagers are taken at a small mobile building.</p><p>"We didn't do any aggressive advertising because we don't want the public believing this is our end product. We're not going to ever become Churchill Downs, but there is a process to it," Mendola said. "We have no revenue. Everything right now, the purses, the expenses come out of our pocket. After we start our card room and simulcast facility we will be able to have a real purse structure."</p><p>The lack of facilities is what sparked the FTBOA to file for an injunction April 30, arguing that the county allowed the facility to open despite not meeting any of the site plans that were initially submitted. A hearing on the matter is scheduled for Sept. 2.</p><p>On Thursday, a letter from an attorney representing the FTBOA was sent to the Marion County Board of County Commissioners detailing the lack of facilities and asking them to attend a performance to see for themselves.</p><p>Lonny Powell, FTBOA executive vice president and CEO, was not immediately available for comment Thursday.</p><p>Mendola called the FTBOA's action frivolous and said the facilities were known to the county, which issued the permits to open.</p><p>Construction on the clubhouse will begin in a few weeks, after final permits are issued. The facility is expected to open in December, he said.</p><p>The state requires a quarter horse permit holder to run at least 20 performances of racing, with eight races per performance. The track is holding two performances per day to meet the requirement.</p><p>Some of the horses are racing twice per day, which is "a frequency which is unheard of in recognized quarter horse racing," according the FTBOA's attorney's letter to the commission.</p><p>Mendola said the races are 110-yard dashes and there are state and track veterinarians on the grounds.</p><p>"The safety of the jockeys and horses is paramount. We have had no incidents," he said.</p><p>Many of the horses that race at the track are owned by people with ties to track officials and employees. The horsemen's group, which represents horse owners and trainers, is a newly formed entity called the Central Florida Horsemen's Association. Mendola filed the articles of incorporation for the group with the state.</p><p>Again, Mendola said, without revenue for purses, attracting horses from other tracks is near impossible. The horses at the track are racing quarter horses that have raced at Hialeah and Louisiana Downs.</p><p>"We've had some serious inquiries, but right now the purses are not where they can make a commitment to send their horses," he said. "We have some good horse racing and we want to put on good horse racing. We are moving toward that but, like any other track in the country, we can't do it without the revenue of the card room and simulcasting."</p>